Nail-on brick



Patented Jan. l,' 1935 UNITED STATES NAIL-ON BRICK Walter F. Mltte, Application February 6,

4 Claims.

' solid brick wall type and of the face brick type where the frame of the building is of wood and the brick merely forms the outer surface It has been necessary however, in these previous constructions where brick is used to employ the services of a bricklayer to lay the bricks upon a foundation provided for the purpose, and employing mortar to join the bricks together into a solid wall. Attempts have been made to provide various means for finishing the outer wall of a building with a fireproof material without the expensive brick construction just set forth. These attempts however have proven themselves unsatisfactory in that they have not furnished the durable surface required and in that it is impossible to attain in them a realistic brick wall appearance. i a

It is therefore an object of thisinvention to provide a brick of fireproof construction which may be appliedto, the wall of a building either old or new without the necessity for providing a separate foundation and without the use of mortar or the services of a bricklayer.

It is a further'object to provide a brick which may be nailed on the outer surface of a building by anyone capable of doing carpenter's work and is of such construction that besides being fireproof it will not easily crack or break in the course of nailing it on. It is a further object to provide a device of this type in which the surface to be covered by a series of rows of bricks may be adjusted byvarying the distances or spaces between adjacent rows in such a manner that it will be unnecessary for the bricks to be cut in order to exactly fill the space. The securing means for fastening the bricks on to their supporting structure is to be so positioned that it will not be apparent in the finished wall, and the bricks are arranged to interengage at their edges in such a manner as to make the entire construction practically weatherproof.

In the following description reference is had to the accompanying drawing in which like numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing several bricks constructed in accordance with this inven- Milwaukee, Wis.

1934, Serial No. 710,003

tion and the manner in which they fit together to form a finished wall surface.

Figure 2 is an end elevation partly in section showing the manner in which the bricks interfit to provide a weatherproof structure, and the manner in which they are secured to the supporting wall.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a brick constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the unit illustrated in Figure 5.

In accordance with this invention, the nail-on brick as illustrated consists of a relatively fiat elongated body 1 which is formed of asbestos or similar fibrous material mixed with a suitable hard binder such as cement. This body is rela- 2o tively thin compared with ordinary brick and includes a smooth outer face part 2 which is substantially of the same size as is usually presented by ordinary brick when.in place in a building construction.

The brick is formed of an inner rectangular portion 1' and an outer rectangular portion 2'. The major part of the inner face of the latter merges into the major part of the outer face of portion 1. The said inner portion 1' has a part 3' thereof extending beyond the top edge of outer pcrtion 2' and another part 3" thereof extending beyond one of the-end edges of outer portion 2". The outer portion 2' has a part 4' thereof extending beyond the bottom edge of inner portion 1' 5 and another part 4' thereof extending beyond one end edge of said inner portion 1'. The part 3 is of reduced thickness with respect to the remaining parts of the inner portion 1' and forms a tongue 3 having its faces spaced from the front 0 and rear faces of the brick. The part 3" at its upper end merges into the inner side of tongue 3 and constitutes a seat 16. The latter inclines inwardly from its lower end to the inner side of tongue 3. The part 4' forms a horizontal skirt 6. The part 4 provides a vertical skirt 17.. The lower end of the latter merges into the inner side of skirt 6 at one end of the latter. The rear face of skirt 17 inclines outwardly from the horizontal tongue 6 to the top edge of the outer portion 2'. 5 The upper part of the outer face of the outer portion 2' is provided with a lengthwise rabbet 5 to form a shoulder 12 extending from one end to the outer end ofsaid portion 2'. The latter at one end thereof has a transversely extending rabbet 55,

'brick is adapted to overlie mortar between the ends 14 to form a shoulder 15 reduced part of shoulder 12 to the bottom edges of part 4. The bottom edge of the inneportion 1 'is formed with a lengthwise groove 4 which is spaced 5 provides the upper part of portion 2' of refrom the rear face of skirt 6. The rabbet duced thickness as at 5'. The skirt 6 of an upper and partly conceal poradapted to simulate the of the parts 2' of a pair of endwise aligning bricks.

It will be seen that the formation of the tongue 3 at the upper edge of the brick spaced from the rear face thereof provides a space 7 between the tongue 3 and the wall when the brick is secured in place, this space being of such size as to receive the lip 8 which is left at the lower edge of the tion 5'. The rabbet 14 1s brick between the groove 4 and the wall to which the brick is secured.

Adjacent the upper edge of the brick as well as the upper edge of part 5', each brick is provided with a pair ofholes 9 adapted to receive nails 10 or the like by which the brick is secured to the supporting wall 11. Although this fastening is closer adjacent the upper edge of the brick, it will be noted that each brick fits against the brick below in such a manner that the lip 8 fits into the space 7, and thus the lower edge of each brick is firmly held in place by the interengagement of these parts with the upper edge of the brick below.

The skirt 6 which is formed at the lower edge of each brick is of somewhat less width although of substantially the same thickness as the part 5'. Thus when the bricks are placed tightly together so that the tongues 3 firmly and closely engage within the grooves 4, the skirts 6 will extend over the part 5' a sufficient distance to conceal the heads of the nails 10, but will not extend far enough to abut the shoulder 12. Thus there will be an opening left between the skirt 6 and the shoulder 12 and this opening as will simulate the appearance of mortar between the bricks for the purpose of joining them together in the customary manner. It is to be pointed out in connection with this construction that if the area to be covered is of such a height that the bricks would not come out even, necessitating the use of a half brick or a portion of a brick adjacent the top or the bottom, the

and grooves need not be fully interengaged but may be separated slightly as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing so as to leave a slightly greater space at 13 than would be the case if they were tightly engaged. This obviously enables a series of bricks to take upmore space than they otherwise would and enables the apportionment ofthe space in such a manner that it will be unnecessary to provide parts of bricks at either extremity of the construction in order to exactly fill the area required. All that the workman needs to do is to first measure the distance from top to bottom of the area to be covered and divide this distance into an equal number of parts as nearly-as possible the same size as the distance from the lower edge of one brick to the lower edge of the next when they are laid close together. From these figures it will be possible for him to estimate the extra amount necessary to space the bricks apart in order to exactly fill the space.

The skirt 1'? is of such depth as to just fit snugly upon seat 16. The width of the skirt 1'? is the same as that of seat 16, and when said skirt is in position it abuts the end edge 18 of the portion 2' of an adjacent brick and by this arrangement the 'rabbet 14 is visible and the outer tongues illustrated at 13 thus 1,986,739 which extends from a faces of the parts 2' of a pair of abutting bricks are positioned to align with each other, but form a space 19 between shoulders 15 and the free side edge of the skirt 1'7 and which is for the same purpose as the space 13.

Owing to the manner in which the seat 16 and rear face of skirt 1'? are formed, that is, at opposite inclinations with respect to each other a more weather proof joint is set up between the bricks,

and it will readily be seen that when any water or the like enters this joint through the space 19 or otherwise, it will be guided by seat 16 and defiected outwardly so that when it reaches the brick below it will reach that brick at a position in front of the tongue 3 on the upper edge of the brick. Thus it will be deflected outwardly and guided to the outer surface of the brick below instead of being allowed to work its way on to the inner surface. It is pointed out furthermore that in putting on bricks of this character the joints are broken in much the same manner as in regular brick construction so that water or the like running from one joint downward will encounter the brick below between the joints and will thus not be able to continue to work its way inward.

The edge construction set forth is of course not limited to the shape of brick shown but may likewise be employed on angle shaped bricks, brick for arch construction, for row lock formations, etc.

It is also apparent that a plurality of bricks may be formed in one piece if desired. By the use of line crushed stone in the face of brick various color schemes may be attained. Colors alone may be used without the stone where a smooth finish brick is desired.

From the above it will be apparent that a brick has been provided which may be placed upon any wall made of wood or of other material to which it can be nailed, and that no special foundation need be provided as in the case of ordinary brick construction. It will be further apparent that it is unnecessary to employ the services of a bricklayer, but thatthe units may be put on by a carpenter and may in fact be placed much more rapidly than would be possible in ordinary brick.

construction.

At the same time, by means of thisinvention a wall may be provided which has the appearance of a brick wall of ordinary construction and which has many of its advantages in that it is constructed of a hard rigid material which is fireproof and very durable. Furthermore, by virtue of the use of the fibrous material in the bricks, the bricks are not easily broken and the nails can be driven home so as to firmly holdthem in place. The various edges have been formed so as to provide a weathertight interlocking construction which is even better than that provided in the case of ordinary brick construction, and the nature and position of the securing means and of the edges of the bricks are such as to entirely conceal the securing means and prevent it from marring the appearance of the finished surface.

Various modifications and changes 'may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:-

1. A rectangular nail-on-brick formed of an inner and an outer portion integral with each other, said inner portion having a part extending beyond the top edge and a part extending beyond one end edge of said outer portion, said outer portion having a part extending beyond the bottom edge and a part extending beyond one end edge of said inner portion, that part of said inner portion extending beyond the top edge of said outer portion being reduced and providing a tongue spaced from the front and rear faces of the brick, that part of said inner portion extended beyond an end edge of said outer portion providing a vertical seat inclining upwardly from its bottom to said'tongue, the said parts of said outer portion extended beyond the said inner portion forming a horizontal and a vertical skirt merging at one end into each other, the rear face of the vertical skirt inclining outwardly from said horizontal skirt to the' tdp 'edge, of said outer'portion, said outer portion having a lengthwise extending rabbet on its outer face to provide a shoulder adjacent its top edge, said outer portion having a trans-. verselyextending rabbet on its outer face to PIO',

vide a shoulder adjacentpne of its end edges, andsaid inner portion having its bottom edge formed with a lengthwise extending groove spaced from said horizontal skirt.

2. A nail-on-brick formed of an inner and an outer portion integral with each other, said inner portion having a part extending beyond the top top edge of said outer portion being of reduced such portion and thickness and forming a tongue having its faces spaced throughout froni the front and rear faces of the brick, that part of said inner portionextended beyond an end edge of said outerportion providing a vertical seat, the said parts of said ohter portion extended beyond the said inner portion forming a horizontal and a vertical skirt merging into each other, said outer portion being formed on its outer face with a lengthwise shoulder adjacent its top edge and avertical shoulder adjacent one of its end edges, and said inner portion being formed in its bottom edge with a lengthwise, groove spaced from the rear face of the rear face of the horizontal skirt. v

3. A nail-on-brick formed of an inner'and an outer portion integral with each other, said inner portion having a part extending beyond the top edge and'a part extending beyond one end edge of said outer portion, saidouter portion having a part extending beyond the bottom edge and a 1 part extending beyond one end edge of said inner portion, that part extending beyond the top edge of said outer portion being of reduced thickness and formin a tongue having its faces spaced viding a vertical seat, the said parts of said outer portion extended beyond the said inner-portion forming a horizontal and a vertical skirt merging into each other, said inner portion having the upper part thereof rabbeted to provide a horizontal shoulder adjacent its top edge and a reduced part, said reduced part being formed with openings for the passage of holdfast means,

said inner portion having an end part thereof rabbeted to provide a vertical shoulder adjacent one end thereof, said vertical shoulder extending from'the horizontal shoulder to the bottom edge of said horizontal skirt, and said inner portion being formed in its bottom edge with a lengthwise groovespaced from the :rear face of such portion and the rear face of said horizontal skirt.

4. A nail-on-briok formed of an inner and an outer portion integral with each other, said inner portion having a part extending beyond the top edge and a part extending beyond one end edge of said outer portion, said outer portion having a part extending beyond the bottom edge and a part extending beyond one end edge of said inner portion, that part extending beyond the top edge of said outer portion being 'of reduced thickness and forming a tongue having its faces spaced throughout fromthe front and rear faces of the brick,, that partof said inner portion extended beyond an end edge of said outer portion providing a vertical seat, the said parts of said outer portion extended beyond the said inner portion forming a horizontal and a vertical skirt merging into each other, said inner portion having the upper pant thereof rabbeted to provide a horizontal shoulder adjacent its top edge and a reduced part,- said reduced part being formed with openings for the passage of holdfast means, said inner portion having an end part thereof rabbeted to provide a vertical shoulder adjacent one end thereof, said vertical shoulder extending from the horizontal shoulder to the bottom edge of said horizontal skirt, the said inner portion being formed in its bottom edge with a lengthwise groove spaced from the rear face of such wanna r. m'rrn'. 

